Sunshine and ice cream
by Cindy Ryan
Summary: John/Ellie.Set in the Downy universe. John and Ellie enjoy an afternoon of sunshine and ice cream
1. Chapter 1

Another fic written for KuryakinGirl and another chance to play in the Downyverse :)

Title: Sunshine and ice cream  
Author: Cindy Ryan  
Pairings: John/Ellie

It was rare that Ellie took an afternoon off. So rare that she  
couldn't remember ever doing so. That thursday found Ellie getting  
approval from her boss.

"Go."Michelle said with a smile. "Enjoy the sunshine. Kelsey needs the  
ER training hours anyway."

Ellie hesitated. "You sure?"

"Yes, we're fine here for once. Take advantage, Ellie, you deserve it.  
Have some fun. We all need to once in awhile."

"Thank you."Bartowski stated with a smile before leaving the small  
office off the ER.

Ellie pulled out her cell phone and sent John a text. He'd told her  
last week he had today free if she could get her shift covered they'd  
make a day of it. Things had been crazy at the beginning of the week  
and she hadn't been sure she'd be able to find anybody. Things ended  
up working out surprisingly.  
Of course baring any missions to save the world.

Stopping at her locker Ellie gathered her things and put away her lab  
coat and stethoscope. Just as she shut the door her phone beeped.  
Ellie smiled as she clicked the message.

"Good I'll pick you up in fifteen minutes. Don't worry about your car  
we'll get it later."

Ellie sent back an acknowledgement before putting the phone in her  
purse and closing the locker. She left the locker room and headed  
towards the main entrance of Westside medical.  
It was funny how things turned mused as she waited. If you  
had told her a year ago she'd be divorcing Devon and happily involved  
with John Casey she couldn't have believed it.  
Yet here she was.  
Never happier.

A familiar Crown Victoria pulled up and Ellie slid into the passenger  
seat and shut the door.

"Hi."Ellie greeted as she kissed John.

"Hi yourself."John replied with a smile as he let the kiss linger.  
"Glad you got the afternoon off."

"Me too."

A meow from the backseat drew Ellie's attention and she laughed at the  
calico cat curled up in the middle. "Guess Downy agrees too."

"She insisted on coming."

"Did she?"

"You know cats."John replied as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"So where are we going?"

"Top secret."Casey commented as he merged with traffic. "But I promise  
you'll love it."

"Already do."Ellie stated with a smile as she reached back and  
scratched Downy's ears.

* * *

As they merged onto the 101 Ellie allowed her eyes to drift shut. Her  
window was down and a lovely warm breeze filtered in with the  
sunshine. Downy had climbed her way up from the backseat and was now  
curled up on Ellie's lap purring. She felt the work stress melt away  
as the car sped along. It'd been a normal crazy week in the ER she'd  
pulled several double shifts. Plus she'd lost two patients.  
Not unusual for a city the size of Los Angeles but it still affected  
Ellie greatly.  
Especially when there had been nothing she could do.  
One patient had been a woman in a car wreck.  
The other a young man shot in a robbery.  
It made Ellie appreciate what she had all the more.  
Her mother was back in her life. Her brother was happily married and  
Ellie had John.

Opening her eyes Ellie reached over and took John's free hand in hers  
and squeezed it. He in turn ran a thumb over her knuckles.  
What she loved most about John was he didn't press her to talk if she  
didn't want to.

"Nap if you need to. We'll be there in about half an hour."

"Think I will."Ellie replied with a yawn and closed her eyes.

Soon she was fast asleep.

* * *

John didn't want to wake Ellie but they had reached their destination.

Casey reached over and kissed Ellie lightly on the forehead then  
gently shook her right shoulder.

"El, we're here."

The young doctor blinked and opened her eyes. Downy in turn opened her  
eyes and stretched.

"Where are we?"Ellie asked.

"Just north of Malibu."Casey replied as he started the car and pulled  
into one of the parking slots of the Rock'N'Roll drive-in.

The silver building was just off the beach and decked head to toe in  
neon. A huge record made up the road sign and a statue of young Elvis  
stood proudly by the menu board under the awning. Early rock'n'roll  
blared from the overhead speakers and waitresses in poodle skirts and  
roller skates zoomed around the cars.

"Didn't think there were any of these left."Ellie exclaimed excitedly  
as she looked around.

John rolled down his window. "They're making a come back. I saw this  
one when we were coming back from a mission."

"We ordering lunch or just ice cream?"Ellie asked as a waitress approached.

"Lunch and figured we'd order ice cream and walk on the beach."

"Sounds wonderful."Ellie commented as Downy meowed her approval.

John squeezed Ellie's left hand. "Trust me?"

"Always."

Casey ordered for both of them.

The waitress grinned. "Be about fifteen minutes."

"That's fine. We're in no hurry."Casey acknowledged as the college  
aged red head zoomed away.

Ellie gently picked up Downy and placed her on the back seat. "Volcano burgers?"

John laughed. "Thought you trusted me."

"I do."Ellie replied as Down looked at her indigently and moved to the  
opposite side of the seat. "Just sounds like something Morgan would  
eat."

"True but I think these will be a bit more tame."

"Hope so."Ellie commented with a grin as they settled in to wait.


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Sunshine and ice cream  
Author: Cindy Ryan  
Pairings: John/Ellie

Half an hour later Ellie was savoring the last bite of her Volcano burger.

"That was delicious."Bartowski stated. "I won't doubt you again, John."

Casey grunted as he took a sip of his cola.

Ellie grinned. "No, really. I never would've thought of combining  
pepper jack cheese, barbecue sauce and guacamole but the guac cools  
the spice."

"Glad you liked it."John replied with a grin. "Do you want a 'Johnny B  
Goode' Root beer float?"

Ellie shook her head. "No, I want ice cream."

"It has ice cream in it."

Ellie lightly punched John on the arm. "I know. What I meant was I  
want a towering ice cream cone."

"Do you want the one note, two note or three note?"

"My turn to order."Ellie stated with a grin. "Your turn to trust me."

Downy meowed her approval and Ellie laughed. ""Yes, Downy you can have  
some too."

Casey got the waitress's attention and Ellie placed their order.

* * *

John Casey couldn't remember the last time he'd felt this content.  
He'd even up the ante and add happy to the list.  
Career was going well.  
He was getting reacquainted with his daughter.  
Plus he was sitting in the sun on a beach with a beautiful woman who  
put up with his crazy life.  
Today sharing ice cream and listening to Ellie laughed warmed John's heart.  
She'd endured too much in her life. More than she deserved.

Ellie finished the last bite of the cone of her two note Death by  
Chocolate ice cream cone. John handed her a napkin since most of the  
chocolate ended up on her face.

"Did I get it all?"Ellie asked a few minutes later.

"Almost."Casey replied as he leaned forward and kissed the remaining  
ice cream off of the tip of her nose.

Ellie giggled. "Thanks."

"Any time."

"And thank you for today."Ellie stated quietly. "I needed it."

John reached up and tucked wind blown strands of hair behind Ellie's  
left ear. "I'm glad. We both need days like this."

Ellie kissed him and John lost sense of time for a moment until he  
heard birds. He felt Ellie pull away and John looked and saw Downy  
near the water making enemies of seagulls.  
Three of them to be exact.

"Downy!"Ellie called as she stood. "No dead birds today!"

"Besides you're out numbered."Casey added as he rose to his feet.

Downy looked at her owners indigently for a moment. One of the  
seagulls started to fly away and the calico followed.

"Downy!"Ellie chided. "Don't make me chase you."

John chuckled. "I'll get her. We should get going if we don't want to  
be stuck in rush hour traffic."

"We could ditch the 101 and take back roads home."Ellie suggested.

Casey smiled as he kissed her. "It's your afternoon, El. Whatever you want."

Ellie squeezed John's right hand briefly. He headed towards the water  
to get Downy. Figures she wasn't freaked out by the water like a  
normal cat. Then again Downy had spent part of her life in a laundry  
room.

"Downy."John called as he shooed away the seagulls. "Time to go home."

Downy meowed in protest as John scooped her up brushing sand from her paws.

Ellie laughed as John placed the cat in her arms. "What am I going to  
do with you, Downy?"

The calico purred and rubbed her head against the doctor's right hand.

"Crazy cat."John muttered as he slipped an arm around Ellie's  
shoulders. "Ready?"

Ellie looked back at the beach for a long moment before nodded. "Yes,  
let's go home."

end


End file.
